UAW Sourcing Department

06/25/2026

06/25/2026

Nelson “Jack” Edwards
Category: Labor Foundation & Autoworker Rights
Title: Trailblazing UAW Vice President & Civil Rights Advocate
Edwards protected the Black hands that built cars. Leaving Alabama for Detroit in 1937 during the Great Migration, Edwards immediately entered the grueling forge and foundry plants of Chrysler and later the Ford Lincoln plant (Local 900). Facing systemic Jim Crow-era discrimination inside the factories, he dedicated his life to organizing and protecting workers.

In 1962, Edwards made history as the first African American elected to the UAW’s International Executive Board, and in 1970, he became the first Black vice president of the UAW. Edwards fundamentally changed what it meant to be an American industrial worker.

He championed the “25 and Out” pension plan, which allowed foundry and forge workers—who faced toxic dust and extreme heat—to retire with full benefits after 25 years. He also secured company-funded medical exams and standardized paid time off.

Beyond the shop floor, UAW President Walter Reuther sent Edwards directly to Birmingham in 1963 to stand alongside Dr. King in the Civil Rights fight, and Edwards later co-founded the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU). Edwards is inducted posthumously for establishing the very human foundation upon which American automotive prosperity was built.

The AAAA's 2026 Hall of Fame class honors five inductees whose contributions span automotive labor rights, motorsports, autonomous vehicle technology & aviation...

06/24/2026

America 250: How the UAW and other labor unions helped shape the nation. From the 1937 Battle of the Overpass to Michigan's 2023 repeal of Right to Work, Detroit's union story is America's story.

The weekend. The 40-hour work week. Better wages. Much of what American workers take for granted today traces back to the labor movement — and Detroit was at the center of it all. 🇺🇸

06/24/2026

ICYMI: Nearly 900 delegates gathered in Detroit, Michigan last week for the UAW’s 39th Constitutional Convention, charting an ambitious, aggressive path forward for the iconic union.

The labor union representing workers in auto, aircraft and agricultural implement manufacturing and other industries in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

06/24/2026

Red Shirt Wednesday!

06/23/2026

AFL-CIO president aims to unionize 2 million workers in 5 year

MINNEAPOLIS — Moments after being reelected by representatives for dozens of unions Sunday, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler made an ambitious pledge to unionize at least 2 million workers over the next 5 years. Meeting that target requires pushing through longstanding headwinds in federal labor law t...

06/23/2026

Follow the link for the story
https://www.wnem.com/2026/06/22/uaw-local-699-vote-fourth-tentative-agreement-with-nexteer/